The World Heritage Site of Dumbara or Knuckles Mountains is an area of nearly 21,000 hectares of lush green forest. Around these forests, the villages of the simple villagers who made their homeland from the past still survive today. No matter how rapidly the world pursues modernization, the culture of urban sprawl has not yet arrived in these rural areas. Their lives are simple. Mostly self-sufficient. The main reasons for this are the lack of proper roads and the lack of proper electricity.
The village of ‘Atanwala’ in Laggala Udasiyapattu in the Matale District is another isolated village with a free self-sufficient lifestyle surrounded by the Knuckles Mountains. To reach this village one has to travel from Matale to Illukkumbura via Riverston-Pitawalapathana. It is difficult for large vehicles to travel on that road and after another 4km footpath from Rathninda, after crossing the Thelgamu Oya, you will come across the village of Atanwala.
[envira-gallery id=”8423″]In this rural way of life, which still exudes the rural beauty of the past, homogeneous paddy fields, vegetable cultivation, raising dairy cows and buffaloes, and kithul raa have become their livelihood. The Manigala rock is located behind the village of Atenwala. This hill station is associated with many legends and is a major tourist attraction for night campers. One of the reasons for this is the ability to experience the beauty of the Atanwala village from the top with the eyes. If you are going to see the rural life in the village of Atanwala, you should keep in mind that this ecosystem must be protected.
